Eureka High School senior Michaela Wolz is one of a dozen finalists in this year's annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition. She and 11 other acts were judged, and chosen from 37 semi-finalists on March 2. A total of 155 acts started in the competition in February.

The 12 finalists will compete on Friday, April 12, at 8 p.m. at The Fabulous Fox Theatre. The final event is a Broadway-style show that is free, and open to the public. Tickets are required, however, and available now at no charge at The Fox box office and through Metrotix. 

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The judges for the finals have careers spanning film, TV, and Broadway, according to a news release from organizers. 

Special guest judges this year are Missouri native Taylor Louderman, star of Broadway’s “Bring It On: The Musical,” and St. Louis native Annie Wersching, stage and TV actress best known for her role on “24,” and who is now appearing on the new “Dallas.” Returning this year are Ken Page, native St. Louisan and Broadway performer; Carl Nappa, independent producer, engineer and executive director of technology and sound engineering at Nelly’s ex’treme Institute in St. Louis; Mike Isaacson, artistic director of the Muny and producer with Fox Theatricals in New York; Steven Woolf, artistic director of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; and Adam Sage, artistic director of Missouri Ballet Theatre. New this year is Bret Dorhout, vice president for artistic administration with the Saint Louis Symphony.  

Students will be judged on technical ability, stage presence, interpretation and originality. 

St. Louis native Tony Parise, Broadway actor, director and choreographer, will write the script and direct the finals. He will be working with choreographer Yvonne Meyer Hare, who also is a St. Louis native, to prepare the final acts to compete in front of a live audience at The Fox. 

The Nine Network once again will broadcast a special program on the 2013 competition Tuesday, May 14, at 7 p.m., with support from St. Louis Community College. Over the past two years, more than 120,000 viewers tuned in to The Nine Network’s hour-long program.  

The Teen Talent competition originally was created and produced by Mary Strauss at the Fox Theatre in 1985 and 1986. The Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation reintroduced the competition in 2011 to spotlight the St. Louis region’s most talented teens in the performing arts.

This year’s competition process has been filmed by Miano.tv, and clips can be seen on our YouTube channel and will be available on SchoolTube.com. Highlights of last year’s event and the winning performances from the 2011 and 2012 Showcase also can be seen on our SchoolTube and YouTube pages.  

Read Patch coverage of the 2012 competition:

Lafayette High Violinist Competes in Showcase

Teen Violinists Advance in Talent Competition

Teens Reign at 2nd Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Showcase

Click here for more information, including a complete list of scholarships and prizes, for the 3^rd Annual 2013 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition.